Green Velvet
by Beth Collinwood
Summary: "I hate you." "I know." "Do you?"
1. Green Velvet

Bellatrix was perched on the arm of the green velvet chair, twirling her crooked wand slowly in her slender fingers. She cut her eyes at the man in the corner who was staring directly in front of him, at nothing in particular. She pulled the corners of her mouth down.

"Serverus." she stated, like she was calling him to the guillotine. He replied by turning to leave the room, but was prevented by the door slamming shut, seemingly of its own accord. He turned to see Bellatrix standing in front of the chair, her feet apart and her wand erect.

"_Snape._" She hissed.

He calmly responded, "No, Bellatrix. I will not. And you know that well enough."

"And you know well enough that I will _never _let you out of this room, until you tell me you _will_." Her chest was rising and falling rapidly. Something flashed through her eyes. It was silent. Both pairs of charcoal eyes smoldering into the other's.

"Open the door Bellatrix."

"Never." The silence resumed, Bella's wand still pointing at Snape's chest. His eyes finally left hers and ran the length of her body, landing on her feet. She raised her head in superiority, though she was a good foot shorter than he. Looking down at him through her lashes, she raised her wand. "Bella, don't-"

"Crucio." Snape's body twisted his eyes and teeth clenched, convulsing, writhing like a worm. "Bell- Bella..." He screamed. "Bellatrix...please, please."

She finally lowered her hand. Eyes still cold and hard. He collapsed onto the floor in a heap and moaned. He slowly raised himself off of the ground and stood. She looked at him with the same expression. He returned her gaze, but a determination in his face made her raise her wand once again. "Wait, Bellatrix-"

"Crucio!"

He screamed again. "Bellatrix... LISTEN TO ME!"

She lowered her wand and eyebrows simultaneously. "Severus, if the only emotion I get out of you is pain, I will get it."

He paused. "what?"

"Get out", she replied, with a cold and calm voice.

"Bell-"

"Get. Out."

He turned away, black robes trailing over the elaborately patterned rugs beneath him. She collapsed into the chair as soon as the door shut.


	2. Black Lacquer

Lucius Malfoy was pacing laps around the long, rectangular dining table mumbling curses under his breath. He froze. A slight woman was leaning against the doorframe, staring at him.

"Bellatrix!" He breathed.

"Lucius."

He fumbled out the words, "What on earth-"

She interrupted him; "I was about to ask the same question."

His eyes darted around the room. If Lucius Malfoy lacked anything, it was the ability of keeping composure. She raised her eyebrows. "I was just - well - why are you here Bella?"

"I was coming to check on dear Draco. Cissy told me he wasn't feeling well."

"Oh yes, yes. Of course. Ah - He's in his room." She eyed him one last time before turning toward the staircase. She trotted up the stairs, black curls bouncing. His eyes followed her until she was on the other side of the wall. He collapsed into a dining chair and put his head on the table. It seemed like he had been there for ages when Narcissa entered.

"Lucius!" He raised his head mechanically to face his wife.

"Yes?"

She whipped her blonde head toward the staircase. "Is Bellatrix here?"

He was a statue. "Yes."

She narrowed her eyes. "Where?"

"In the Drawing room, with Draco."

She then turned and glided up the stairs, hand sliding across the rail. She was the opposite of her sister. She was day, Bellatrix was night. Her blonde, silky hair opposed to Bella's black mass of curls. She was graceful. Bella was fierce. Lucius had been married to the blonde. "And I must accept it", Lucius muttered.

Bellatrix was standing on the stairs. "Accept what?"

He jerked out of his stupor of thought. "Bellatrix! I - where is your sister? She was looking for you."

She ignored his question. "You look ill, Lucius."

"No, I'm - I'm very well, but Narcissa?"

She idled towards the edge of the table and leaned against it, looking down into his green eyes. "She's with Draco, in the drawing room. She must have passed through here."

His fingers were shaking. "Oh, yes of course…I did see her."

Her lips twisted into a coy smile. "Lucius."

His eyes found the table. "You look uneasy. Tell me what's the matter…. Hmm?" She dropped to her knees beside his chair and drummed her nails on the dark lacquered table.

He drew a ragged breath. "Bella, please -"

"Bella?" Narcissa's voice rang clear from the top of the stairs.

"Cissy! What is it?"

She began descending the stairs. "Severus has called for you, he wishes you to speak with him at 8 o'clock at his house. It's already seven thirty, so I would suggest you leave."

Her eyes darkened and her smile faded. Lucius turned paler than before. She abruptly stood and walked to the middle of the room, twisted, and was gone.


	3. Thread bare

Bellatrix apparated into the living room of a small, dingy house. The damp air filled her nostrils. Snape was seated on a threadbare sofa opposite her.

"My dear Bellatrix. What a pleasure."

She frowned. "Severus."

He gestured to the chair diagonal to the sofa. "Sit."

"Thank you, but I prefer to stand."

He studied her face. "Wine?"

She nodded curtly.

"Dimly!" A short broad house elf entered. He was wearing a sort of sack and carrying a dust rag.

"Yes, master?", he croaked.

"Wine." He hobbled out of the room.

"What do you want, Severus."

He raised his brow. "Do not be so easily angered, Bella."

She huffed. "I wish to discuss the situation of the Malfoys with the dark lord."

She almost growled. "And what is that to you, Snape? As much as it is to me? Nothing."

He continued to gaze at her. "Your right, Bella -"

"Don't call me that" She spat.

"Bellatrix. I did not bring you here to discuss the Malfoys. I should have guessed you to be more perceptive. To be more direct, I brought you here to discuss Rodolphus Lestrange. You are to be married. A suitable match."

Her eyes darkened. "And _what_ makes you believe it to be a 'suitable' match?" He continued.

"You both are loyal to the dark lord, and skilled pure bloods."

Her mouth twitched. "Yes, I suppose you're right. But why do you find this obvious commonality important to point out?"

At that moment Dimly re-entered the room carrying two glasses and a dust covered bottle. As soon as he set the glasses down the bottle poured its contents into them. Dimly left the room. Bellatrix snapped and the glass flew into her hand. After draining the cup, she continued to stare at him. His glass remained on the table.

Then something clicked in her mind. He saw it. She smiled the crooked smile that he hated so much. He despised every inch of her skin. Her face, her hands, her lips, her hair. All she was was insanity.

"I was a good friend with Rodolphus. But I do believe you will not be compatible with each other."

She crossed her arms. "I thought we were a 'suitable' match."

He continued. "Yes, but I have more thoughts on the matter." He hated her.

Her smile faded. "I'm sorry you don't approve, but I assure you we _will_ be married."

"No, Bellatrix. You will not."

She caught a gleam in his eye. The smile returned. "Severus. Why won't you let him have me?"

He frowned. "Him _'having' _you is not the issue."

"Then what is." Silence.

Bella's mouth spread into a wicked smirk. "Yes it is, Snape. You think I'm _yours_…"

He stood, but she remained planted in front of him. "No Bellatrix."

"Yes Severus…" She drawled, grin spreading further than before.

"Stop."

"No."

"Bellatrix."

"I know you hate me, Snape."

"Bellatrix stop."

She began to laugh.

"STOP."

He raised his wand.

She laughed louder.

"Crucio!"

She fell to the ground, screaming. Her torso rose and fell onto the floor, tears streaking her pale cheeks. Snape was terrified. He couldn't understand. Surely this wasn't pity. His mind was still and cold watching her scream, her body twisting. But he thought he could feel her pulling his heart out of his chest. He dropped his wand on the floor and fell to his knees.

Bellatrix moaned on the floor. She turned her face to him. When he met her eyes and saw something he had never seen before. He saw pain, not physical pain. There was something in her besides what he had assumed, there must be. He had thought her to be a thing, insanity contained in a body. Guilt flooded his mind, drowning his memories of her own cruelty, his own pain. His haughty eyes began to falter.

"I'm sorry, Bellatrix." He said, not sure what he should do.

"I'm sorry."

What was left of her smile faded. He walked to her and knelt.

"I'm sorry Bella, I -."

She looked confused, half dazed from her previous experience.

Then she pulled him towards her, their eyes locked.

"But your learning, Severus."

They stared at each other.

"I hate you", She breathed.

"I know that."

"Do you?"

She didn't break his gaze, their noses no more than two inches apart. Bellatrix looked at him with the most unreadable expression. Her jaw tensed. He knew what she was about to do. In desperate attempt to thwart her dissaparation, he whispered, "the river", but she was gone.


End file.
